Admittedly I’ve been very heavy on the science and philosophy in my last couple posts, so I’d like to bring this one all the way back to square one.
Addressing wants and needs.
Bottom line: Many of us workout, slave away in the gym, watch (stress over) what we eat, read about nutrition, read about training…because we want to look better.
And we have some pretty visual goals when it comes to what “look better” really means.
It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman…at some point you’ve said to yourself “I want a 6 pack”
A 6 pack may not mean your are healthy, or even in shape..but the visual effect is striking!
So here is the no nonsense truth about getting a 6 pack:
You already have one.
No kidding. It’s there..it’s just being blurred out by a layer of body fat.
So the solution should be obvious – remove the fat, reveal the abs (that are already there under the fat).
You DO NOT need a ab exercise routine to make this happen. In fact, largely, they are a waste of your time.
You need to eat less to GET the abs, and you need to learn to enjoy eating less to KEEP the abs.
Abs are all diet, and overall activity level.
So here’s my solution: If you want abs eat less. If you want abs even quicker, eat less move more. If you want to keep you abs, then learn to ENJOY eating less.
(Easy to write, a little more difficult to put into practice, but it CAN be done.)
My experience has been this – Before Eat Stop Eat I dreamed of ‘cutting down for summer’ and ‘getting shredded’. I chased ABS with diets and ‘bumping up the cardio’.
After Eat Stop Eat, well, they’re just …there. Sometimes they are blurrier than other times, but they are always..well…visible.
Don’t make it harder than it needs to be.
BP
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Sometimes i go on fitnessblackbook and he recomends doing HITT cardio alot..is that really necessaary to do cardio to get leaner? and whats a guideline for girls on eat stop eat?I ordered 6 miniute circuits!
It’s helpful, but not NEEDED.
ESE for girls is the same as for guys. No special changes.
B
Just a bit more fasting for me, I still only have 4. LOL
You’ll get there. Most people have 4, unless they are water depleted, or flexing and twisting in just the right light.
B
I also assume that it helps alot if I eat a little cleaner too right? By the way I just love your simple, straight-to-the-point style of writing!
Hey Brad, My husband has that too and I always ask him why he has that and I don’t b/c I work out everyday and he said that I have them, everyone does, it’s just under the layer of fat:(
I see that is confirmation now too!
Thanks for sharing as always…very inspirational…be happy eating less…how hard, but you arre right, it CAN be done. SO I will try harder.
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Yeah…I like intervals to get the abs a “little” extra sharp…but Brad is completely correct about diet being the main factor.
I was out with a back injury quite a few years back and had an upcoming trip. I wanted to have nice abs, but I was unable to do any intense exercise for about 2 and 1/2 months. I couldn’t even go near any type of abdominal exercise. I cleaned up my diet and within 6 weeks I had a decent looking six pack, with very little exercise whatsoever.
The HIIT and intervals and all of that stuff, really just serve to make your diet more effective. Without a bit of a calorie deficit created by diet, they are almost completely a waste of time.
Great post Brad!
Rusty
Well written John. Most people want what they want but aren’t willing to do what they need to do to get it. One of things that you said that’s key is to learn to enjoy eating less in order to keep six pack abs. That seems to be the hardest part. I’ve seen people achieve six pack abs, and as soon as they hit their goal, they get off of the regimen that got them there and a season or two later, the six goes to 4, 4 goes to 2 and then the 2 goes to 0.
congrats brad! i’m currently getting good results with ESE too. i just like how it simplifies life (less stress) and it’s a great tool to have. what i’m curious about though what are the stats for % of people that would rather undergo surgery, i.e put their life at risk for the sake of weight loss? it must be a significant # of people. (liposuction, tummy tucks, gastric bypass etc ..)
life doesn’t need to be so hard
I agree completely! I started ESE in December 2008, and it didn’t take them long to pop out. I find that doing core strengthening exercises, e.g. plank variations, are better for you than those that just isolate the abs. A strong core is beneficial for many reasons. Anyway, whether or not my abs show seems to fluctuate with the amount of fluids I’ve been ingesting.
SO, you’re saying that cardio isn’t needed if you’re already lean, with just some fat covering up the last pack …and weight training without direct ab training would achieve that goal?
@Grok…we’re in the same boat. I’m fasting during ramadan, else Craig Ballantyne’s advice is what I’ve been following.
Thanks Brad.. you’re the anti-diet/obsession/failure-migraine virus.
My problem area is the hips and thighs. Will ESE work for me too or will I have to lose all excess fat first before it really comes off in this area. I do TT type training without the extra HIT cardio due to lack of time and I feel fit and can feel muscle, but the fat on top seems to stay. I did try ESE for two weeks and my weight didn’t move (I think I must have made up for the fasting on the non-fasting days), so like every experienced dieter, I gave up. Do you suggest I persevere and do you think fasting from Breakfast to Breakfast is more beneficial than from dinner to dinner?
Brad,
I feel good on the fasting days but find that my body temp drops dramatically and I am freezing all day. Does this mean that my metabolism has crashed? I am really worried. I love the idea of fasting for wt loss but I have also read that if you are cold when dieting it means your RMR is slowing down to compensate. What are your thoughts on this? Are women more sensitive to fasting than men? I really don’t want to go into “storage mode”? Thanks!
@hawaiigrrl
I like Fitnessblackbook also, Remember that Rusty does no other direct leg training, so he uses the interval training as his leg training.
I think once it sinks in that exercise doesn’t really burn that many calories, it makes things clearer about making exercise choices. For instance resistance training for building muscle, ie. either weights or bodyweight trainingetc., Some people though,looking to burn fat say they’re going to do their “Cardio” and pick low intensity aerobic activity but aren’t burning many calories or doing much for their cardio capacity! They might actually be doing harm according to dr’s like Al Sears. If i wanted the most bang for my buck and actually said i was going to do “Cardio” with the idea that i was doing it for the purpose of increasing my conditioning or cardio output, well then intervals, or Complexes, or repetitive balistic drills like swinging a sledgehammer against a tire, or dumbell or kettlebell swings or snatches would make more sense to me, and also be something i would find fun or challenging to do, with also a hell of a lot less time spent.
What’s funny is some times it takes a long time for something to sink in, or to enternalize something. When the exercise thing, not burning that many calories sunk in for me, was about a year ago reading things from Brad here, and from studies that Alwyn Cosgrove mentioned. But i had a book of Dr Greg Ellis, from a few years ago that talked about the same thing. Did i really pay attention to it? No. And what’s worse, Vince Gironda was writing about the same thing back in the 60’s, i’m not that old, ha ha but i did read his stuff in the early eighties, did i except it? No. But is it any real surprise that he was the first ripped to shreads bodybuilder. In fact he was so ripped at the time that he didn’t win the contests he entered, judges didn’t know what to make of him. And no he didn’t do what people consider aerobics. So i guess there’s hope for me, it only took 27 years for it to sink in, ha ha
hi
Going to start fasting in a few weeks. Just some beginner advice, as you said, we’ve programmed ourselves to eat at certain times, but we might not actually be hungry, so for my first day, I’m sure to feel hungry all day, which isn’t that great of a feeling, should I lay off a workout during that time so my body can adjust and push myself the next week?
You should be able to workout, just be sensible during your workout and listen to your body.
The relationship between your perceived body temperature and your metabolic rate is fairly weak. Think of it this way, it it were a good indicator, we wouldn’t spend a 100 K on metabolic carts to measure your metabolic rate in research studies, we’d just use a thermometer.
B
I don’t think there is a special time…it just whatever works best for you. Adjust the way you are eating when you are not fasting. The amount you are eating right now is determining how you look right now.
Hi Al,
I’m not so sure about eating ‘cleaner’. This is really an industry made term. However, for now I’ll play along and say that for overall health yes, but for weight loss, not really.
The truth is always simple and elegant, just like your posts.
Hi Brad, i love ESE, and been following for a while. But as you mentioned in a few posts back, when youre studing nutrition, food, stops being food and becomes hormonal responses etc. Right now i just cant seem to graps the teaching of Taubes, about carbs driving insulin, and while insulin is up, glucagon, growth hormone etc, are all down. So when i eat carbs, i eat them with guilt. Whats your take on this?
Hi Brad,
What do you think about problem spots, like a prior post touched on (hips and thighs)? Would I have to get my bodyfat really low in order to get rid of my pouch in my stomach from having kids, and also the cellulite on my upper things that I got after my first pregnancy? Ugh, I hate it – and i feel like I would have to look anorexic in my face, shoulders, and arms, before I could even come close to getting rid of these problem areas. I always lose last in these areas.
Terri
Brad,
Thanks for the no BS advice. Folks, just listen to the man.
Jeremy
I never thought of the fact that “clean eating” could be thought of as an industry term. I must admit. I eat way too much food. Can it really be that simple. That is why i have such a hard time with everything related to diet and fat loss; i make things too complicated.
Your “move more” philosophy can be your new zen of exercise idea. What do ya think? And thanks for everything!
Im a weight management specialist who doesnt believe in crash and quick fix diets and that came after a long experience in weight management practices which showd me realistically the damaging effects some of commercial diets have on those who follow them -so i do strongly believe in the power of sound nutrition and im actually the Ni 1 advocate for it in my country- therfore your talk and ideas about discovering your abs through good nutrition appealed to me and i now realise its achievable
I’ve followed Brad’s advice since February ‘09 and am closing in on my goal of having visible abs without doing any cardio or taking any supplements, just progressive weight-training and calorie restriction through fasting and responsible eating. Ironnically, I’ve documented my progress on a website that makes money from supplement sales: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/_OZ_/
@Brad Pilon
I thought that every degree below 98.6 was a 10% decrease in metabolism and I have also read that if you are cold it means your metabolism/thyroid are slowing down…
So this is a myth?
If that’s the case, I’ll be thrilled!
Brad, is there any way I can fast for 3 24-hour periods instead of 2 to speed up fat loss? Or is 2 the one that gives you the maximum effect?
[...] No nonsense 6 pack abs [...]
@Tarun
Tarun,
The answer is yes.
That’ll further restrict your weekly caloric intake, right? I’ve been doing ESE 2 months and the one week that I fasted 3x & cut out butter, cheese, and sweets on the weekdays I lost 6 pounds (admittedly, I did all this because I ate poorly the prior week, only fasted once, and put on 4 pounds… so net sum was 2 lbs or 1 lb p/week… not too far from what I was averaging of @ 1.5 pounds per week).
I’ve been strongly considering fasting 3x p/week (M/W/F) as this will get me to my goal quicker and then I can just go into maintainence mode and just do it once p/week.
Brad won’t “suggest” nor “recommend” doing this (or fasting 30 hours instead of 24 – which would actually acomplish the same goal as 3x p/wk as it’d be cutting out and extra meal and extending the fat burning fast at the peak time) as he knows that this extra push as it were would simply be too much for many people and just lead people to quitting ESE just like they have every other diet because it was “too hard”.
Personally, I’ve lost 1.5″ off my belly (from 40.5 to 37.5) each month I’ve done ESE. Another two months & I’ll likely be seeing my 4 pack and 2 months after that I might actually see my lower abs whom I’ve never met before!
I agree when you say EVERYONE has a six pack. The only thing is that it is covered with that layer we all need to get rid of. Great motivation. Thanks
Would I still benefit from fat loss if I used IF for 24 hour once a week but still ate over maintenance the other 6 days to build muscle?
@BRAD
Would I still benefit from fat loss if I used IF for 24 hour once a week but still ate over maintenance the other 6 days to build muscle?
Thank you
[...] No Nonsense 6 pack abs [...]
Hi Brad. I am pretty new to ESE. i really like the idea, makes perfect sense. I’ve done a few days over the past couple weeks where I did a full 24 hours between eating a meal(or anything with calories that is). But lately when I have been doing the 24 hour fast I find that I am getting so extreemly hungry and I can hardly take it any more- especially when I am at work. I end up giving in and eating something. So what shall I do? Also is a full 24 hours a must or can it be 18 or 20 hours for a fast? Thanks in advance Brad.
Hi, Brad. Love your blog. I´m gonna go a little off-topic: I have been doing for a year the Atkins diet, and i have lost so far about 50 kilos (that is almost 110 lbs). I feel great, but i have one issue: now i have a lot of loose skin. Is there anyway to get rid of that, or i just gonna have to live with this forever?
Greetings from Tijuana, México.
Hi Brad,
I purchased ESE 2 weeks ago and am pleased to find I have lost 2 lbs a week as advertised and am still enjoing wine and beer with my meals on my eat days.
The point I do not understand is that you menion that you are also doing ESE once or twice a week and are alrealy in great shape. I am thinking that if I need to fast 2 days a week to lose wieght you can not be doing 2 days a week just to maintain. Is there a point of diminishing returs?
[...] No Nonsense 6 pack abs [...]
hi brad,is it better to work out on the days you fast or not? and if you work out on the days you fast will it be less effective to build muscle since you cant train as long as you would being in the fed state, so work out in fasted state or not for building muscle?
[...] No nonsense 6 pack abs [...]
excellent post brad… now i need to watch my diet even harder. on exercising during fasting – i find it easy to do closer before you actually ‘break the fast’, I normally do an hour before. Just nice after the training, I take in some dates and drink lotsa plain water. works for me!
thanks.
Ive been hearing alot about this 24 hrs fast lately but how can one manage going all those hours without food especially if you suffer from low blood pressure or feel dizzy without food
hi brad, i’ve been doing ESE for about 2weeks now. i went from 158 pounds to 150. do you think ESE is good for someone like me who already weighs little. my muscle’s haven’t got smaller so thats encouraging but i keep thinking that i might get too small. what do you think? also will my muscle size keep increasing with ESE or does it just maintain it?
thanks!
Hey Brad,
I’m keen to start ESE, I’m already at a decent weight (82kg/193 cm) but I actually want to PUT ON a bit of muscle. I currently do 3-4 BW and free weight sessions a week. The problem is I cycle 1-1,5 hours a day (hard interval style) it’s my mode of transport. What should I be doing to gain muscle + keep cycling? Will ESE make it significantly more difficult to gain weight? (in which case I’d aim to gain first, the start ESE to maintain new weight).
thanks
matt
HI Matt,
A lot depends on your age, training status etc. It would be really hard for me to give you a quick answer here.
B
Hey Matt, thanks for the post! Have you ever noticed that sometimes the most simple ideas are the hardest to abide by? The fact that 6 pack abs are always just, THERE, is a concept that places one’s goal right in there hand. I loved what you had to say about eating less, moving more. I actually work with Del Monte and if anyone’s looking for a healthy snack when you’re on the go, we have these new Superfruit and citrus bowls out that come with the fruit already pre-peeled. There’s a pretty good variety of fruit too, like cinnamon spiced peaches and Mangos, and if you visit the website we offer some motivating recipes that are easy to make at home.
Who’s Matt?
B
My friend, you are being ripped off. Go look at this ad site.
http://www.marksdietsite.com/vc/index.php?t202id=1496&t202kw=mds-vc
I know, and I have contacted them MULTIPLE TIMES with no success…just proves my theory about 99% of what you read/see on line.
B
Brad,
Is it ok to do ESE on a ketogenic diet? Thanks.
Jennifer
I don’t see why not.
B
Brad, is it ok to do eat stop eat while I’m training for powerlifting? I thought a calorie surplus was always needed for strength increases.hmmm but i still want to lose more fat. i think im around 26% bodyfat.
[...] No nonsense 6 pack abs | Brad Pilon.com [...]
[...] PS – If you really want abs, read this ==> My truth about 6 pack abs [...]
Hi Brad, Love the EFE, I feel like I have better control now. I’m almost 48 and addicted to sugar with the round belly that comes with it. Any suggestions? Do I have to give it up altogether?
@ Holly
As Brad has posted numerous times, weight loss is really much more @ psychology than physiology and for many it means learning to kill bad habits. Sweets is a difficult one for me too. So I routinely fast from them (currently in day 10 of a 12 day fast from sweets/desserts (made it to the end of day 7 before I finally got sick of picking out the M&M’s from the Trail Mix and have had the normal Trail Mix on days 9 & 10 too! But other than this slight treat, I’m gonna make it through day 12 – and then I’m gonna have a NICE dessert!)
Additionally, part of ESE is the advocation of avoiding extremes. So I doubt you have to “give it up altogether” but do believe you may need to moderate your intake. Perhaps consider enjoying a sweet treat only 2-3x per week (maybe only on weekends or weekends and once midweek). Hope this helps
@ Brad
I’m happy to report I can see my abs again!
I’ve lost 4-5″ (from 40.5) since June and think I need to lose another 2 before my belly is “flat” – or lined up w/my chest – and maybe 2 more beyond that to really see the lower abs as they’re still missing in action! Additionally, I see much better tone in my legs, arms, chest, shoulders and back (I feel a bit vain @ the gym looking in the mirrors but there’s hardly anyone there when I workout after midnight so I don’t really care!)
I believe diet is the key to seeing your abs but yet still wonder what YOUR ab routine is as I’m sure you doing at least a few sets to hit em abs. Can you share what you do?
I know that look on your face… you’re flexing, admit it!
100%
Hi Brad,
I am in a conundrum, my weakest body part is my butt, which is less pronounced than the rest of my body (thanks to my genes) I have been working out since i was 14 (now I’m 32)and the one thing that has eluded me is a 6 pack!
My problem is in my quest for a 6 pack, I seem to be losing too much weight elsewhere (and my butt goes first). How am I to balance it so that I dont look too deflated? ps:(I also do squats, deadlifts etc to work the glutes)
Splendid job, keep it up!
I’m very slim, and definitely agree with this. But one annoying thing for me is that certain foods will make me bloat in that area quite a lot, so in order to see my abs in their full glory – lol – I need to be careful about those foods and take digestive enzymes with some of my meals. Just something to throw in there for anyone who wonders why they are super lean yet not seeing what they would like to see.